On a whim, I searched RA690 – which was the reference I noted on some jablo blades attached to a hub assembly at the gate of a long defunct scrap dealer (Dixons Scrap Yard) in Melton Mowbray in the late 60’s.(Hell, that long ago!!) The dealers family told me that these were the remains of 30 or so originating from closure of RAF Melton Mowbray around 1946! In addition, I saw several single blades inside the yard, But for personal family reasons, as the elderly Mrs Dixon told me, none were for sale. All were bulldozed before the closure of the yard, much to my horror. The B of B flight were interested but only only for potential static use.
It was not to be. Oddly, the reference has stuck in my mind since then as ‘RA690 /R’. I imagined this assembly and broad chord blades as being either ex Spitfire V, Halifax ll or V as RAF Melton Mowbray hosted many, many types.
It’s fascinating to find something solid about these!
By coincidence, recently (10/06) I passed by the HQ of 1279Sqn ATC at Melton and saw the Shackleton Front Propellor Assy. that Sgt Tony Paphiti and I assembled from componentswith some difficulty on a couple of trestles in 1970, still adorning the entrance wall. Now polished bare metal and on a mount -it has a nicely machined but non-authentic boss and would look superb with your authentic Shack Spinner!